April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and SafeSpace Children’s Advocacy Center of the Gorge will be observing it with a number of public events. One is “SafeSpace CAC 101” next Tuesday evening from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the center on 206 Wasco Loop in Hood River. Center Executive Director Beatriz Lynch says unfortunately, the number of children they see continues to increase. SafeSpace will host a “Darkness To Light” child sexual abuse prevention training on April 15 at 5:30 p.m., an open house on April 17 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and a discussion of anxiety and depression in children on April 28 at 6 p.m. For information call 541-436-2960.
Author: mbailey
No Commercial Huckleberry Harvesting On The Pinchot This Year
The Forest Service announced that commercial huckleberry harvesting permits will not be issued for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest this year, citing sustainability concerns, enforcement challenges, and escalating conflicts among harvesters. Personal use gathering will continue under existing guidelines. In a statement, the Forest Service says the decision comes amid increasing pressure from tribal nations, county officials, and local forest users to address declining huckleberry availability, enforcement limitations, and disputes over harvesting rights. By not offering commercial harvesting this year, the Forest Service says it will look address those issues by collaborating with tribal and local partners to develop long-term management solutions. The commercial huckleberry program has been in place since the 1990s, with annual harvests ranging between 50,000 to 70,000 gallons. But the Forest Service says concerns over drought and invasive species impacts, habitat loss, and enforcement challenges require a re-evaluation of commercial harvesting practices.
Work On East 9th At Quinton Street Underway
The Dalles Public Works has begun work on E 9th St. at the intersection with Quinton St. to replace and upgrade a sanitary sewer main and a storm sewer main. Full street closures on E 9th St. from Oregon St. to E 10th St. will remain in place through mid-June. Motor vehicles and bicyclists will be detoured to adjacent side streets. Pedestrian and sidewalk access will remain open. Work hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on each scheduled work day, but the trench must remain open until work is complete. Pavement restoration is expected to be completed later in the year. No parking will be allowed within the project areas to allow room for large equipment to safely work. If you have questions, please contact the Public Works Department at (541) 296-5401.
Port of HR Plans Closures For Welding Repairs
Single-lane closures on the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge will take place in late April as crews perform annual deck welding repairs to maintain the bridge’s safety and structural integrity. Work will occur from Monday, April 21, through Friday, April 25, and again from Monday, April 28, through Friday, May 2, between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. each day. Flaggers will be present to direct traffic, and drivers should expect delays during these hours, and allow extra time for your commute. Due to the narrow lanes on the bridge, drivers will be strongly urged to proceed slowly and cautiously to ensure the safety of workers. Additionally, motorists should avoid looking directly at the welding arc light when passing through the work zone.
March 28-29 Prep Sports Roundup
Softball
Columbia 14, Fort Vancouver 2: The Bruins scored 12 runs in the third inning to blow the game open. Hallie Kock and Julia Mullinix drove in three runs each for the Bruins.
Boys Soccer
Columbia 6, Toledo 0: The Bruins scored five goals in the first half on the way to their fifth straight win to begin the season.
Mariposa Village Agreements Reached
The Hood River City Council this week approved three agreements that move the deal to construct the Mariposa Village housing project on 780 Rand Road toward closing in mid-April. The agreements with developers Community Development Partners and Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation include the details to construct 129 units of housing affordable at 60% of area median income for the next 60 years. Urban Renewal Administrator Will Norris outlined the timeline the project is now on, with closing in mid-April, construction to start in mid-May, and a projection to finish in 2027. Mariposa Village units will be built to Gold Level National Green Building Standards. Units will be equipped with automatic dishwashers, air-conditioning, and programmable thermostats, and will include onsite trash, recycling, and compost.
Federal Street Vacation Initiated For Plaza
In a step toward establishing a public plaza on Federal Street in downtown The Dalles, the City Council approved beginning a street vacation proceeding for Federal between East 1st and East 2nd. Mayor Rich Mays says when the committee working on the project expects to get a final design at their next meeting. The Federal Street Plaza is envisioned as a gathering hub for community events and cultural activities, and to foster a stronger sense of community and celebrate local heritage. The April 9 committee meeting will be at 5:30 in The Dalles City Hall.
Drones To Survey Sandhill Cranes In Klickitat County
Researchers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will conduct drone surveys over known locations of sandhill cranes in Klickitat County to assist with population monitoring. WDFW says drone flights may occur when weather permits during daylight hours from April 1 through July 31 over identified state public lands and waters in western Klickitat County where sandhill cranes are present. WDFW will seek pre-approval from other private or public landowners should the Department consider flights over additional lands. The purpose of the surveys is to capture high-quality images of sandhill crane habitat to find and locate nest locations. In 2024, WDFW biologists successfully identified sandhill crane nests at multiple locations within the survey area using drone technology. Breeding sandhill cranes arrive in Klickitat and Yakima counties in early March, with most nesting occurring from April to June in wet meadows and grasslands. The cranes and their young leave the state between late September and mid-October to winter in California’s Central Valley. WDFW has listed all three subspecies of sandhill crane occurring in Washington as state endangered.
Washington State Rep Optimistic For Bridge Funding
There are 32 days remaining in Washington’s legislative session, and lawmakers in Olympia are getting down to the key work revolving around budgets in the face of a large deficit. Among the funding decisions in the House Transportation Committee will involve the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge. 17th District Representative David Stuebe is on that committee, and he remains optimistic the funding will be approved, especially with the amount of federal funding at stake. Stuebe says the Hood River Bridge plus the Interstate 5 bridge between Vancouver and Portland and the Slough Bridge on Highway 14 west of Camas are vital to the economy of the 17th District, and all need to be funded.
WAGAP Starts Match Campaign
Washington Gorge Action Programs has started a campaign to match a surprise $15,000 offer it has received for local programs from an anonymous donor. WAGAP Executive Director Jennifer Pauletto says the offer is open through the end of April, and donations can support any of the agency’s programs in Klickitat and Skamania counties. To donate with the matching offer…go online to wagap.org, visit one of the WAGAP offices in Bingen, Stevenson, or Goldendale, or mail it to WAGAP at P.O. Box 805 in Bingen, zip code 98605.